Suspension device for drying stockings



Feb. 13, 1951 H. GAMACHE SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR DRYING sTocxINGs Filed Feb. l0, 1949 Patented Feb. 13, y1951 sUsPizNsIoN DEVICE Fon DRYING srocKrNGs Homer Gamache, Butte, Mont., `assignor of onefourth to Andrew Johnson, one-fourth to Peter Antonioli, Jr., and one-fourthvto Frank Antonioli, all of Butte, Mont.

rApplimanon February 1o, 1949, serial No. '15,673

2 ciaims. (ci. vl 2li- 87) This invention relates to an improved means for suspending a plurality of stockings subject to drying after washing thereof.

The invention has for an object to provide a stocking suspension device adapted to be mounted on a wall or other perpendicular surface, and which is provided with a pair of laterally spaced, outwardly projecting arms having indented outer lside marginal portions Y-to receiveand grip opposite corners of a stocking top so as to spread the stocking between said arms for suspension from the device in such manner that substantially the total area of the stocking surface is exposed to Contact by drying air.

Another object of the invention is to provide a, stocking suspension device f the kind stated wherein the stocking gripping indentations of the arms thereof are of such novel shape that the same Will firmly hold the suspended stocking against accidental displacement and yet in such manner as to make but minimum contact with the stocking material, and consequently so as to offer substantially no impedance to air contact therewith, and thus to assure thorough drying without lingering wet spotsL at the engaged stocking portions.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of the stocking suspension device of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the device, with a stocking operatively attached thereto, the latter being shown by broken lines; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view; Fig. 3 is a top plan view; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view; Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on line 5 5 in Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional View, taken on line 6-6 in Fig. 3.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the hereinabove described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the novel stocking suspension device according to this invention comprises a preferably integral body produced from suitable material, such e. g. as plastic material. The body comprises a perpendicular, up-

standing base section I0 from the lower margins of which, and contiguous to its respective sides, project, right-angularly, a pair of laterally spaced arms Il. In mounting the device for yuse, the base section I0 is positioned against the surface 2 of a wall I2, or-other perpendicular surface, and secured tothe wall by fastening screws I3 which are passed through the base section.. When the base section Ill is thus disposed and xed in place, the arms I! will project outwardly therefrom in horizontal plane. Y Y l yThe outer longitudinal marginal side portions of the arms Illare provided with a plurality of longitudinally spacedy indentations I9; .correspending indentationsof thefrespective armsfbeing" disposed in ytransverse alignment. Each indentation is of novel shape and contour, and comprises a narrow entering slot I4 having a flared mouth portion I5 at its outer end, and terminating at its inner end in a circular opening I6 of diameter somewhat larger than the width of the slot. Countersunk in the top of the arm Il, in axial alignment with said opening I6, is a socket Il of inverted conical shape which is intersected by the slot I4. The side walls of the slot I4, including the flared mouth portion I5, are undercut to provide downwardly and outwardly inclined wall surfaces I8 which diverge from the opening I6 and socket Il toward the outer side margin of the arm I I, thus indenting the bottom surface of said arm I I with a stocking clearance notch of inverted V-shape in cross-section.

The peculiar formation of the indentations, characterized as above described, provide stocking gripping edges bordering the slot Id., the stocking contacting areas/of which are reduced to a minimum, and from which gripping edges the other surfaces of the indentation incline away so as to provide air space which permits drying air to contact substantially the total surface areas of a stocking corner, when said corner is entered in an indentation and gripped by the slot edges thereof.

In applying a stocking to the device for suspension therefrom, the top of the stocking is flattened and then spread beneath and across the arms I I, whereupon the opposite corner portions of the stocking top are respectively entered in the corresponding transverse aligned indentations of the pair of arms II, so as to extend transversely between the latter, and so that the body of the stocking hangs down in suspension from the thus supporting arms and subject to exposure to drying air. n e

It will be obvious that the length of the arms II and the number of corresponding stocking gripping indentations with which the same are respectively provided are subject to variation, according to the stocking holding capacity desired to be provided by the device. As shown,

the device has a capacity adapted to accommodate two pairs of stockings, but, as above indicated, it may be made to accommodate more or less than two pair, if so desired.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A suspension device for stockings comprising a body provided with a base section adapted to be aixed to a wall or like surface and a pair of laterally spaced apart, outwardly projecting horizontal arms, said arms having stocking top gripping means indenting their outer longitudinal marginal side portions, corresponding gripping means of the respective arms being disposed in transversely aligned relation, each gripping means comprising the provision in an arm of a narrow entering slot having an outwardly and laterally ared mouth portion at its outer end, the side walls of said slot being undercut by inclined wall surfaces extending downwardly and outwardly from the top edges of the slot, and said side walls being angularly divergent from the inner end of the slot toward the outer side of the arm.

2. A suspension device for stockings comprising a body provided with a `base section adapted to be aixed to a wall or like surface and a pair of laterally spaced apart, outwardly projecting horizontal arms, said arms having stocking top gripping means indent-,ing Ytheir outer longitudinal marginal side portions, corresponding gripping means of the respective arms being disposed in transversely aligned relation, each gripping means comprising the provision in an arm of a narrow entering slot having an outwardly and laterally ared mouth portion at its outer end and terminating at its inner end in a small circular opening the upper end of which is formed to provide a socket of inverted conical shape, the side walls of said slot being undercut by inclined wall surfaces extending downwardly and outwardly from the top edges of the slot, and said side walls being angularly divergent from said opening at the inner end of the slot toward the outer side of the arm.

HOMER GAMACHE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 378,407 `Strauss Feb, 21, 1888 1,691,293 Larson Nov. 13, 1928 1,928,536 Heinlen et al Sept. 26, 1933 2,002,566 Conigrave May 26, 1935 2,149,908 Poole Mar. 7, 1939 2,387,681 Reed et al Oct. 23, 1945 2,466,195 Anderson et al Apr. 5, 1949 

